Pressure-operated gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus.



E. SPARKS.

PRESSURE OPERATBD GAS LIGHTING AND BXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4. 1910.

992,279. Panentedmay 16,1911..

C c f e g' 1. C @All f i W Fig. 3.

THE NaRRls PsrsRs-ca., wAsmNcroN, A c.

Arun curieus' ERNEST SPARKS, 0F LONDON, ENG-LAND.

PRESSURE-OPERATED GAS LIGHTING Application filed August 4,

To all whom it may concern:r

Be it known that I, ERNEST SPARKS, a subject of the King of England, and residing at 24 Hugo road, Tufnell Park, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Operated Gas Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is aA specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for controlling gas-lighting systems by variation of the pressure in the mains. These pressure controllers serve to turn oli the gas or to turn it on as the case may be, as the result of the eecting of a sudden momentary increase of pressure in the mains, each burner of the system being lighted from a pilot or by-pass burner.

The present invention consists of an apparatus in which a lift valve or plug valve is inserted in the direct path of a straight gas way from main to burner, this gas way being arranged parallel with the operating cylinder of the pressure controller; the invention also comprises certain combinations and arrangements to facilitate construction of the apparatus and more eiificient working of the parts.

The invention is hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, upon which Figure l is a sectional elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the piston, at right angles to Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. l. Figs. 4 and 5 are modified forms of pawl for effect-ing the rotary advance of the ratchet-fitted cock. Fig. 6 is a section of the straight-way gas pipe on line G-G of Fig. l, showing the gas plug in the raised position. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the plug in the closed position. Fig. S shows a coiled spring instead of the spring washer in Figs. l and 3. Fig. 9 shows the operating pawl controlled as to position by a spring.

In these drawings gas is to pass from A to B or its passage from A to B is to be cut off, as a result of a momentary increase of pressure in the main.

A represents the end of the device which leads to the main pipe and B represents that end of the device which leads to the gas burner.

The pressure controller utilizes a piston a which is raised by the increased pressure of gas and this lift of the piston causes alternately gas to pass through the cock b or the Specification of Letters Patent.

AND EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Patented May 1e, 1911.

1910. Serial N0. 575,497.

passage of gas through the cock Z) to be cut off.

The piston is mounted ina cylinder c and is preferably guided in the known manner by means of a. central guide e and rollers mounted on said piston. The cylinder c is shown fitted in Fig. l with a lid secured thereto, and the base of the cylinder is proivided with a chamber e in thelid e of which the stem c is guided. This chamber e communicates with the underside of the piston a through perforations 6 in the lid c.

The piston c carries at top a bracket 7 in which secured thereto by means of screws f or otherwise, is mounted a pawl g and this pawl is adapted to engage a ratchet toothed wheel h mounted on a spindle z' projecting into the cylinder c above the piston a at right angles to the axis of said cylinder. This spindle z' passes longitudinally through a gas cock b secured externally upon the wall of the cylinder, or passing through the same, and is provided with a cam-wheel Z or second ratchet wheel arranged in the straight gas pipe m. Gas passes from this pipe under the piston through a branch pipe n connected to the chamber e.

The number of teeth or cams on the wheel Z is one half the number of teeth on the ratchet wheel ZL and the cam wheel Z is situated in that part of the cock-casing which is in line with the gas pipe m; a cylindrical plug o with conical shoulder 0 ending in a point o is suit-ably seated in the casing of the gas cock and is adapted to be lifted by the cams or ratchet teeth Z provided for this purpose on the spindle c'.

When the piston is lifted by a momentarily increased pressure of gas, the operating pawl g will rotate the ratchet wheel z one tooth and this will cause the spindle z' to turn and the conical plug valve 0 will be raised from its seat ai in the said casing, or if raised, be allowed to return to its seat 00",' in the lirst case gas will thereupon be allowed to pass along the gas pipe m direct to the usual burner z'. e. from A to B, and in the second case the passage of gas will be obstructed and cut o'.

The pin g or equivalent device prevents the piston rising beyond a point the exceeding of which might result in the ratchet wheel z, being moved to the extent of more than one tooth.

When t-he apex o of the conical plug bears on the cam or tooth Z, the plug o is held out of its sea-t and when the said plug has seated itself with its conical shoulder 0 in the seating a, the said apex passes between adjacent teeth or cams of the wheel Z.

In order to avoid side-thrustI and to steady the piston in its movements, I prefer to arrange the guide rollers in such a way that, as shown for example in Fig. 3, two of the rollers cZ bear against the inside of the cylinder c on the same side as are situated the pawl g and bracket f and a single roller Z travels in a groove or slot w in the wall of the cylinder on the opposite side to the guide rollers cZ. Other suitable numbers of guide rollers CZ CZ may, however, be employed.

The gas cock b to which the upper and lower portions of t-he st-raight gas pipe m are screwed or otherwise connected, preterably passes through the wall of the cylinder c, the gas pipe m being also preferably parallel with the axis of the piston and cylinder. The plug 0 is with advantage of the cylindrical shape shown and a loose tit in the part 6 oit the casing Z), the shoulder 0 when resting on the seating m absolutely closing the gas passage.

The gas cock casing ZJ is secured to the cylinder c for the piston a in any convenient manner; for example the casing may be provided with side wings or flanges Zi litting against the exterior of the cylinder c and attached thereto by screws o, see Fig. 3.

In order to prevent leakage past the spindle z' of the gas cock, I form the said spindle within the socket portion of the casing with a narrowed part z" and interpose a coiled spring p (See Fig. 8) or spring washer p (see Fig. l) between t-he ratchet wheel h and the outer extremity b5 of the socket portion Z), this spring device serving to hold the shoulder i of the spindle 'L' against a corresponding shoulder ZJ* in the bearing for the said spindle within the socket Z).

The piston is weighted to the required extent by means of removable weights r secured thereto in the usual manner and it is preferably provided with a mercury bath or seal 1 into which it dips, in the known manner. This mercury bath is contained in an annular trough formed between the wall c of the cylinder and an inner annular wall ai upst-anding from the base of the cylinder and suitably secured thereto. The weights 0 are shown held upon the upper screwthreaded part ot' the central spindle or guide e by means of a nut r". The top of the piston is also shown provided with studs or stems z5 upstanding therefrom and upon these stems other weights a may be tted to secure a tine adjustment of the weight of the piston without having to alter the weights 7 on the underside of the piston.

In Figs. 4c and 5, I have shown other forms of pawl to ettect the advance ot the ratchet wheel 7L to the extent of one tooth each time the piston is raised. In Fig. t the pawl g is pivoted at g to the bracket f and is provided with a weighted end g which holds the pawl against the wheel it; this end g lifts when the piston descends and the pawl g thereupon rides over the tooth. In Fig. 5 the pawl g is mounted on a pivot o connected to a link zr carried both by the spindle z' and also by a link y pivoted to the bracket f.

The cylinder is shown covered by a ilanged lid s fastened thereto by bayonet slots c in the wall ot the cylinder c into which pass studs a projecting from the cylinder'.

A by pass pipe z is shown in Figs. l and 2, this by pass being ot the ordinary well known construction.

It will be understood that the wheels L and Z may be itted with teeth other than respectively six and three in number but the .teeth in the wheel L must always be double the number of teeth (or cams) on the wheel Z, in order that eac-h time the wheel Z1. is moved to the extent ot one tooth the position of the lift plug 0 may be changed from the raised to the lowered or vice versa.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as such and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A pressure operated gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus comprising a piston mounted in a cylinder, a cock passing laterally through the wall of the cylinder and interposed in a straight-way gas pipe, a spindle mounted in said gas cock and adapted to project over the said piston, a ratchet wheel at one end of said spindle and a cam wheel at the other end of the spindle, said ratchet wheel adapted to be engaged and rotated by a pawl mount-- ed in a bracket carried by said piston, said cam wheel having half the number of teeth of the ratchet wheel and adapted to raise from its seat a coned plug in the gas cock casing and in the line of the straightway gas pipe.

2. A pressure operated gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus comprising a straightway gas pipe arranged parallel with a cylinder containing a mercury-sealed piston, a gas cock interposed in the length of the said gas pipe and having a spindle passing through the cylinder to above the piston, ratchet and cam wheels mounted on opposite ends of said spindle, said wheels having teeth in the proportion of two to one, the larger wheel adapted to be rotated by an actuating pawl mounted on the top of the piston, and the smaller wheel adapted by means of cam-like portions to hold a litt plug trom its seating in the gas cock, and thereupon to allow gas to pass through t-he straightway gas pipe.

3. A pressure operated gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus comprising a mercury-sealed piston adapted to rise or fall in a cylinder, a gas cock secured to the wall of the cylinder with a spindle projecting over t-he piston, said spindle having means whereby it may be partially rotated by the lift of the iston and having means also whereby a li t plug interposed in the passage through the straightway gas pipe may be raised from its seat therein by the partial rot-ation of said spindle.

t. A pressure operated gas lightingand extinguishing apparatus comprising a gas cock having connections to pipes, said pipes and cock being alined, a lift plug mounted in alinement with said pipe and capable of seating itself to close the passage of gas through said pipe and cock, a lateral branch from said cock, a revoluble spindle mounted in said branch, said spindle having means whereby it may be rotated by the lift of a mercury-sealed piston in the controller, said spindle provided also with means to'raise the said lift plug from its seat, a coned shoulder upon said spindle, a corresponding coned abutment in said branch for said shoulder, and a spring member mounted on the spindle adapted to hold said shoulder against said coned abutment.

5. A pressure operated gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus, comprising a covered cylinder, a mercury-sealed piston arranged therein, means for passing gas to the underside of said sealed piston, a gas cock interposed in a gas pipe, said cock having a lateral branch passing into said cylinder to above said piston, a revoluble spindle mounted gas-tight in said branch, a ratchet wheel secured upon the end of the spindle over said piston, a bracket mounted on said piston, a pawl pivoted on said bracket, said pawl co-acting with said ratchet wheel to turn the spindle to the extent' of one tooth each time the piston rises due to a sudden increase of gas pressure below the piston, guides for said piston bearing against the inner wall of the cylinder, adjustable weights carried by said piston, a cylindrical plug mounted in the cock in alinement with the gas pipe, said plug having a coned end adapted to seat itself in a seating in said gas cock and thereby to obstruct the passage of gas through said pipe, and a cam-fitted wheel mounted on the opposite end of the revoluble spindle, said wheel having cams in number half the number of teeth upon the ratchet wheel, said cams adapt-ed to lift the plug from its seating so that gas may pass through the pipe.

6. A pressure operated gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus, comprising a covered cylinder, a mercury-sealed piston movable therein, a gas inlet to the underside of said piston, a straightway gas pipe parallel with the axis of said cylinder, a gas cock interposed in the length of said gas pipe, a plug valve with coned shoulder and pointed end seated in said cock in alinement with said pipe, said shoulder adapted to rest upon a conical seating, a lateral branch from said cock passing into said cylinder and containing a revoluble spindle projecting above said piston, a ratchet wheel mounted upon the projecting end of said spindle, a spring member interposed between said ratchet wheel and the end of said branch, a pawl mounted on a bracket carried by said piston, said pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, a shoulder on said spindle bearing against a coned sea-t in the bore of said branch, and a cam-fitted Wheel mounted on the end of the spindle opposite to the ratchet wheel, said cams being adapted to lift said plug each alternate part-rotation of the spindle by means of the operating pawl.

7. A pressure-controller comprising a cylinder, a piston arranged within said cylinder, an annular wall upstanding from the base of the cylinder and forming an annular trough for mercury wherein the piston dips, a central chamber dependent from the base of the cylinder and having a perforated cover, a guiding stem from said piston passing through said cover to said chamber, adjustable weights carried by the piston, a bracket mounted on the piston and having a pawl pivoted thereto, a straightway gas pipe parallel with the cylinder and a branch pipe from said pipe to said dependent chamber, guiding rollers mounted in bracket-s carried by said piston and bearing against the inner wall of the cylinder, a gas cock interposed in the length of the straightway pipe, a lift plug adapted to be seated in the gas cock in the path of the gas through the straightway pipe, said plug being cylindrical and having a coned lower part conforming with a seating in the cock, a lateral branch projecting from the gas cock through the cylinder, a revoluble spindle carried by said lateral branch, wheels upon the ends of said spindle, said wheels having teeth in the proportion of two to one, and rotated by the operating pawl so that each alternate rise of the piston will lift the plug valve and allow gas to pass through the straightway pipe to above the gas cock, and a by pass to the burner, said by pass supplied from below the gas cock and a projection from the lateral branch of the gas cock to limit the rise of the piston.

In testimony whereof I have .affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

j ERNEST SPARKS. l/Vitnesses:

VICTOR F. FEENY, VICTOR I. FEENY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

